Meanwhile...the Obama administration is hard at work attacking another small business...
CBSNews: The company behind Buckyballs is claiming that the federal government unfairly targeted it's business when the Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a complaint to stop sales of the magnetic product.
"Obviously the bureaucrats see danger everywhere, and those responsible people - like our company who have vigorously promoted safety and appropriate use of our products - gets put out of business by an unfair and arbitrary process," Craig Zucker, Founder and CEO of Maxfield and Oberton, which manufactures Buckyballs and Buckycubes, said in a statement. "I don't understand how and why they did this without following their own rules before allowing us to make our case. It almost seems like they simply wanted to put our products and industry out of business."
The CPSC, a federal agency, filed a complaint yesterday against the magnetic adult desk products because of their potential health hazards for children. The consumer watchdog group asked for retailers to stop selling the high-powered rare earth magnets because of the risks posed to individuals that swallow the balls. Already, Amazon, Brookstone and Urban Outfitters have complied.
Currently marketed to adults, the CPSC reported that more than 2 million Buckyballs have been sold in the U.S., as well as 200,000 Buckycubes. Each container has anywhere from between 10 to 216 small magnets.
And get this...here's the excuse as to why they had to be banned...
Problems arose when children began swallowing the tiny balls and using them to mimic cheek or tongue piercings, leading to accidental swallowing.
I think that's more of a commentary on our cultural ailments and intelligence than an issue concerning safety! And did you catch the part about being 'adult desk products'? That's right, they're only 'marketed to adults'. Call me crazy, but I wouldn't put it past this regime to make the call against this small business because of the 'rare earth' quality of their magnets. Whatever the case, this action by the CPSC, which hasn't been taken in eleven years, has forced the company to launch a campaign (video seen above) in an effort to stay in business.
And though this may feel like another Gibson attack, this chapter of American politics is rounding out to be something bigger. In other words, these are not simply attacks on capitalism and small business; this is a much larger war being waged on the entirety of American civil society.
ADDENDUM: Michelle Malkin discussed this issue with Fox & Friends, via theRightScoop. In addition to Malkin's penny example, what about marbles? Or Legos? What's next?
